Pediatric Traffic Injuries on Halloween in the United Kingdom: Prevalence and Injury Severity

Hsu, Li-Min; Wiratama, Bayu Satria; Chen, Ping-Ling; Saleh, Wafaa; Lin, Hui-An; Pai, Chih-Wei

Abstract

The study results serve as a reminder for parents, children, and drivers to be alert to the danger of traffic crashes on Halloween. The aim of this study was to examine whether Halloween is associated with a higher incidence of traffic injuries and whether traffic injuries sustained on Halloween are more severe than those sustained on other days. The U.K. STATS19 database, including the data of all road traffic crashes occurring from 1990 to 2017, was employed. A total of 73,587 pediatric traffic casualties (involving pedestrians, cyclists, and moped riders) were included. Between 17:00 and 19:00 (17:00~18:59) on Halloween, the number of casualties was higher than that on other public holidays and usual days. The logistic regression model revealed that, between 17:00 and 18:00 (17:00~17:59), the risk of being killed or seriously injured on Halloween was 34.2% higher (odds ratio = 1.342; 95% CI = 1.065–1.692) than that on other days. Pediatric crashes occurring on Halloween are associated with a higher number of injuries and increased injury severity.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 25, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Aug 28, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021
• Deposit Date: Sep 23, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 23, 2021
• Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 17
• Article Number: 9093
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18179093
• Keywords: Halloween; pediatric traffic injury; injury severity
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2804743